South East Queensland is emerging as one of Australia’s in-demand property markets, with investors particularly attracted by price resilience, affordability, and strong rental yields as they seek a safe haven to ride out COVID-19.
The Cameron Bird Group’s managing director Jack Bird said enquiry at his property investment firm was as strong as ever despite the widespread doom and gloom of the pandemic, particularly on the Sunshine Coast and in the Moreton Bay region.
Mr Bird said investors were not only drawn by the lifestyle benefits of South East Queensland, but also the significant infrastructure spend underway by the government and the private sector.
“I truly believe that the Queensland property market and the South East Queensland property market in particular, is going to perform extremely well coming out of COVID,” Mr Bird said.
“While some capital cities throughout Australia are showing signs of resilience, the best performing areas when it comes to vacancy rates, rents and prices are regional areas.
“Australians are seeing these areas as being a better option than the big, expensive and congested cities. The regional cities and towns offer a more relaxed and more affordable lifestyle
“South East Queensland is going to perform extremely well, it’s seen as a very desirable location at the moment to be moving to and investing in.”
Mr Bird said while home values and investor demand had been largely unaffected by the pandemic, development approvals had not been as resilient.
“There has been a reduction in development approvals throughout South East Queensland as a whole, and I believe that’s going to put more pressure on the rental market,” he said.
“Well over 90 per cent of locations within these regions already consistently have vacancy rates well below 1.5 per cent,” Mr Bird said.
“Demand is outweighing new supply which is always beneficial for investors. Supply and demand is always the driver for growth, and upcoming approvals have been reduced significantly.”
Those fundamentals play into the development strategy of The Cameron Bird Group, which was established by Mr Bird’s late father, David Bird, in 1977.
Since inception, The Cameron Bird Group has prided itself on providing a higher level of customer service than its competitors, with low fees and commissions as well as rigorous research setting it apart from many others in the market.
“It is all about doing the right thing, and I genuinely care about what my investors are purchasing, I’m not the kind of person that’s going to forget about the investor once they sign the contract,” Mr Bird said.
“I want to work closely with the investor right up until they have settled on the property and are receiving a return on their investment.
“I’ve got investors now that are up to their sixth and seventh investment property through The Cameron Bird Group, and I’ve formed a very close professional relationship with a lot of my clients. That’s what it’s about for me, I’m here for the long-term, I want my investors to have an enjoyable, but more importantly a financially rewarding experience”
Mr Bird said The Cameron Bird Group created cash flow-positive properties, achieving this with great success on the Sunshine Coast in particular through strata titling duplexes, giving investors dual income streams from a single investment.
“In some cases there has been genuinely $80,000 to $100,000 uplifts once we build and strata title a duplex on the Sunshine Coast,” he said.
“It works really well, and we’ve proven it.
“With dual occupancy properties, ensuring high cash flows alongside maximising the tax benefits is so good for moving forward with your portfolio or using those extra cash flows to pay off investments sooner and faster.
“Location is the important factor here, we want to build these properties in areas where there is a large percentage of owner occupiers.
“For my client base, we’ve been promoting this type of product now for several years, and that’s what people are chasing. People love the concept behind it.”
The Cameron Bird Group partners with a select cohort of builders in South East Queensland, with relationships cultivated over the long term providing several advantages for investors.
To ensure the properties can be tenanted quickly once complete, the properties are built to a higher specification than typical investment-grade stock, with features such as high ceilings, stone benchtops and air conditioning throughout attractive to the leasing market.
“The properties are preferable to other standard properties that don’t have those specifications. When a new housing estate is completed and 10 properties come online at the same time, our properties get snapped up very quickly because of those extra features,” Mr Bird said.
“It makes a big difference, it really does. It doesn't necessarily mean you’re going to get extra rent, but it does mean that it’s going to rent quicker, and tenants are going to stay longer, that’s what it’s about.”
“Through my long term relationship with the builders, these upgraded inclusions don’t cost more and investors find my properties very competitively priced.
“There are no hidden surprises and our new properties are purchased via a fixed price contract – everything is included and there are no extra expenses at the time of completion”
“A lot of people think that when we’re selling these products that there are large commissions involved and the investor is paying a premium right at the start, This is not the case when working with us.
“We don’t charge the investor a buyers agent’s fee. Our remuneration is paid by the builder/developer and this comes out of their margins. I like to be very open about that. It doesn’t cost the investor anything for our services”
“I would like to invite any investor that is looking to learn more about the South East Queensland property market to reach out. I am available anytime to discuss and educate people on some of Australia’s best performing regional areas.
"I want to help people grow their property portfolios with high performing investments. Everyone has a different strategy, criteria and budget and I like to think that I can accommodate all investors no matter where they are at with their portfolio. Whether you are starting out, or a seasoned investor, reach out, make contact and let’s have a chat.”
If you would like to discuss investing in South East Queensland, The Cameron Bird Group can be contacted on (07) 3871 2500 or online at www.cameronbird.com.au.
Click here to download the company's latest Property Information Pack for a boutique infill development in the Moreton Bay Region.
